My Dublin Life

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm almost looking forward to when my friend Vicki leaves! I've had a fantastic week, and she's here for two more days, but she's totally got the hots for my flatmate and it is making me very uncomfortable! I feel like I can't even leave them alone in the living room together in case she jumps his bones! Sorry for being so direct but it's just freaking me out!!!

Anyway, it HAS been a great week. Because I haven't been working, I've been able to do all the touristy things, the Guinness Storehouse, a Viking Splash tour, a Wild Wicklow tour and I've seen all the museums. I never do get tired of the Bronze Age gold and the squished mummy people at the National Museum. We've eaten out every day. (I've gained two kiloes). We've been to Dalkey Island courtesy of friends-of-a-friend and their lovely boat. It's been a wonderful week in many ways. But something that's been making me a little sad is that I think there's a new distance between me and my oldest friend, and that's quite apart from the whole flirting-with-my-flatmate issue. Maybe we'll find ourselves back in the same space at some time in the future, but right now it's like we're singing from different hymn sheets. It's very strange for me, because we'd always been so close. It's probably me, more than her. I've been away from home for quite a long time now, and I guess I've changed more than I thought. Living in a big city is very different to living in a small community like the place we grew up, and it's even different to living in a small city, like where we went to college straight after school.

Well, never mind, I still have a couple of days to try and get our vibe back. I hope it will work. Tonight is my treat, and we are going to Taste of Emilia, which really couldn't be any closer to my place, and then out for drinks. Bepe should be out training, so hopefully I'll have Vicki all to myself for once and we'll get to connect. I'm sure a few glasses of wine won't hurt any, either!

Last night, I took Vicki, my visiting friend, to the imaginatively named Exchequer gastropub on Exchequer Street! No, I'm not rich, but I had bought vouchers from Citydeal so we were able to pay for most of the meal with them.

I'd never been to the Exchequer before. It's really pretty. There was a very rowdy elderly bunch shouting at each other so enthusiastically about golf or something we had to move tables to get away from them (seriously!!) but we had a great heart-to-heart and a fantastic meal. There's even a brooding, mysterious-looking chef type person swanning around, so we had a bit of a look at him, too. I must say, now that I work in a restaurant, it's really very nice to be on the other side of receiving service and a cooked meal for a change.

I have steam coming out of my ears! I wanted my friend Vicki to get along with my flatmate Bepe as she'd be staying at our place, so the three of us went out last night. We bumped into some friends of his and between one thing and another ended up in Hogan's on George's Street.

Hogan's isn't a place I usually go, but it's nice. Anyway, the evening was going great, and then I noticed that she was flirting with Bepe, big time. Surely that's not on? Of course, it's not really my business, but she's here to visit ME, goshdarnit, and I don't want to have to deal with hurt feelings, etc., or whatever. Anyway, it's all pretty awkward and needless to say I haven't even mentioned it to her because I don't want to cause any hard feelings... but still. Grumph.

So this morning we went for Irish Breakfast at T.P. Smiths, which is near where I live.  (Very nice, by the way, I haven't needed lunch in consequence). She could tell that something was up, but I didn't tell her. I don't know why it's getting to me so much!!! I advised her to go the Hugh Lane on her own this afternoon, because I've already been there several times, so that's what she's doing now. Sigh. Maybe I should just get over it already. I honestly don't know why it's bugging me so much.

Anyway, we're going to the theatre tonight. Maybe we can talk about it after the show. It's a new play. We're going to two things as part of the Theatre Festival, one Irish classic, and one new. It was hard to choose as there's so much on, so in the end I selected almost at random. Looking forward to it though! :-)

Hallow'een is coming! I think it's my favourite festival. I've loved it ever since I saw Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas as a little kids. It scared the bejesus out of me, as my local greengrocer would say, but I think it's my favourite film of all time, and quite possibly the reason why I ended up studying Gothic literature in the first place.

And of course it's particularly special to celebrate Hallow'een in Ireland, where the festival originates. People say it's become "Americanised" and I'm guessing that's supposed to be a bad thing, but I'd be more inclined to see it as part of the ebb and flow of Irish culture across the Atlantic. Anyway, if you can't beat it, you might as well join in!!! And this year, I'm gonna have a party. Although this event in Marlay Park also looks like fun.

I'm having a wonderful week so far -- OK, so it's only Monday -- because my best galpal, Vicki, is here, and we are just seeing all the sights -- many of which I've already seen over my year-and-a-half here and also plenty of new ones. We've lucked out with all the stuff on right now, from the Theatre Festival to Oktoberfest, and I already know that I'm going to be crawling to the boss and looking for overtime to pay for all this, but what the hey -- it's worth it because my best, oldest friend is here and we are making memories that are going to last a lifetime!

I was a little nervous about introducing her to my best Irish friend, Saoirse, and sure enough, it was a little awkward. Why is it hard when friends from different parts of one's life meet up? I've never been able to understand that! Fortunately, considering the bijou size of our apartment, she's hit it off with my flatmate Bepe. That's a relief.

There's great excitement in Ireland right now -- or at least in my apartment right now -- because Google maps has launched, and now you can see all the streetscenes around the country just as though you were walking down the road. I have to say, this is loads of fun! I found my window on the facade of the apartment building where I live and can distinctly see my sneakers on the window ledge. I can even see that they could have done with a bit of a wash.

Anyway, you can take it from me, it's really fun browsing Dublin on your computer. You can walk all around the main squares, and even see into the parks. What's more, the nice people at Google kindly took all their pictures of Dublin in the late spring, when all the leaves were on the trees, which is SO much nicer than January when there's still plenty to do, but things are looking greyer. Go on - it's fun, kind of like peeping into a dolls' house.

Last year, I went to the Irish Botanic Gardens to see the Sculpture in Context exhibition. It was absolutely wonderful. It's on again this October, so if you're coming to, or live in Dublin, you've just got to go. I love the Botanic Gardens - but because they are a little way out of the centre, I think they sometimes get overlooked. The exhibition is a great time to go because it's fantastic, and it's not just about the plants.

Well, I'm a very happy girl right now because not only is my oldest friend coming over, but I'm about to start a week off. Tonight's my last night and work and ... woohoooo!!! Just try to stop me. And I feel that we've really lucked out with the timing of her visit as the question is really going to be what not to do because there's so much on. Like this, for example.

I'm counting down the days ... my friend Vicki arrives on Sunday night, and I'll be off for a week. I've been Googling like crazy, finding out what's on next week. Something she's just going to really enjoy is the Oktoberfest.

Apparently, this was on last year too, but somehow it managed to slip me by. I can't imagine how or why, but it looks like load of fun. As you can no doubt guess from the name, Oktoberfest is a celebration of German culture involving lots of German beer, music and food.

Well, that sounds good. And while I've knocked back a few German beers in my time, I'm pretty sure I've never actually had any real German food. Too bad Vicki is going to miss it, but there's plenty on next week to keep us occupied. I'm a bit nervous about introducing her to Saoirse, my best friend in Ireland. What if they don't hit it off?

I've done it before, but will definitely take her on one of those Wild Wicklow tours, because I think a trip to Dublin just isn't complete without seeing it from the mountains. I'm actually really looking forward to that, and hoping for one of these bright, golden fall days that we're having two or three times a week as opposed to the grey, overcast days we have the reset of the time...

Dublin's actually a very stylish city. OK, not everyone is super-stylish (including yours truly, alas) but the ones who are, really are. There's an edgy look on the streets of Dublin that seems to involve mixing high-street brands with charity shop and fleamarket finds with designer gear. Personally, I don't like the head-to-toe in branded items look so I appreciate the diversity in Dublin.

Anyways, the point is, Dublin Fashion Week is coming up soon.  And it's fabulous timing, darlings, because although I'm not particularly a fashionista, my best galpal Vicki is, and she's arriving JUST ON TIME! And I am taking NEXT WEEK OFF! Well, it's all just great. She's always been a bit of a girlie-girl. Our friendship is one of those "opposites attract" relationships. But for sake of my great affection for her, I'll be tuning into my girlie side next week. Between that and soaking in the culture at the theatre, that is.

I'm hoping she'll get along OK with my flatmate. Bepe's such a guy. Personally, I can cope with the socks on the bathroom floor and the dirty dishes in the sink, because while I'm tidier than he is, I know he's keeping mum about all the blonde hairs clogging up the shower. But Vicki, well, I'm hoping for the best.

Right now, I'm getting fond of a funky little venue near St Patrick's Cathedral. I've joined their Facebook page. They've an event coming up involving, if I've understood it corrently, making art out of odds 'n' ends Very zeitgeisty of them. I'll definitely be checking that out!